Summary

Council adopts 2026 budget and legislative priorities; approves police labor contracts

RichfieldDec 9, 20254 min read

At a glance

Quick context to catch up fast.

At the December 9, 2025 Richfield City Council meeting the Council adopted the 2026 budget and tax levy, approved 2026 legislative priorities (including an added federal ICE-related priority), approved 2026–2027 police labor agreements, amended an interim use permit proposal for Lakewinds Co-op parking, and approved the consent calendar including acceptance of grants and donations.

Committees mentioned

Open the committee coverage hubs tied to this summary.

City Council

Topics discussed

LaborTransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyEducationHealthcareCommerceElectionsUtilities

View official document

Was this summary helpful?

Your feedback helps us prioritize what to improve next.

Key decisions

Follow the major takeaways from this briefing.

Approved the meeting agenda as amended (moved item 7c from Consent Calendar) — Motion carried 5-0.
Approved minutes from November 25, 2025 (Work Session, Truth in Taxation special meeting, and Regular Council meeting) — Motion carried 5-0.
Approved the Consent Calendar as amended, including authorization to accept grants and donations for Richfield Recreation Services (Resolution No. 12379) — Motion carried 5-0.
Adopted the City’s Legislative Priorities for 2026 as amended, including support for permanent 4d1 aid, modification/repeal of 2024 group assisted living legislation, gun-violence reduction measures, bonding priorities (e.g., Nicollet Avenue reconstruction and emergency water interconnect), and an added federal priority requesting Representative Omar support legislation establishing identification/notification requirements for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — Motion carried 5-0.
Adopted resolutions approving the 2025 Revised / 2026 Proposed Budgets, Tax Levy, and related resolutions (Res. Nos. 12380–12387) — Motion carried 5-0.
Adopted 2026–2027 labor agreements with Law Enforcement Labor Services, Local 123 (Officers) and Teamsters, Local 320 (Sergeants and Lieutenants), authorizing execution of agreements and noting an approximate net budget impact of $75,000 (Res. Nos. 12388–12389) — Motion carried 5-0.
Amended the Interim Use Permit (IUP) proposal for employee parking on the vacant lot adjacent to Lakewinds Co-op: Council amended a proposed 5-year IUP to a 3-year term with two possible one-year administrative extensions and a requirement that the co-op meet with staff to discuss long-term plans. Final approval vote for the amended IUP is unavailable in the provided excerpt.

Timeline & follow-ups

Action items flagged by the community.

No follow-ups have been shared yet. Add one in the community board below.

Meeting information

Details and records from this meeting.

City Council Meeting

Dec 9, 2025, 7:00 PMRichfield Municipal Center, City Council Chambers, 6700 Portland Avenue, Richfield MN 55423completed

Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approval of the Agenda
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Open Forum
Participants can share their comments in person, by voicemail, or email, and may also request to participate virtually. For more information on submitting comments, refer to the Council Agenda and Minutes page on richfieldmn.gov/citycouncil
6. Proclamations and Presentations
a. Proclamation honoring Human Rights Month
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1
Decision: Proclamations and Presentations
7. Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar contains several separate items, which are acted upon by the City Council in one motion. Once the Consent Calendar has been approved, the individual items and recommended actions have also been approved. No further Council action on these items is necessary. However, any Council Member may request that an item be removed from the Consent Calendar and placed on the regular agenda for Council discussion and action. All items listed on the Consent Calendar are recommended for approval.
a. Approve Disbursements/Claims
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context
Decision: Consent Calendar
b. Consider Adoption of a Resolution Designating Polling Places for 2026.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
c. Consider the Adoption of the City’s Legislative Priorities for 2026.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
d. Consider approval for a Temporary On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor license for the Blessed Trinity Catholic School, located at St. Richard's Catholic Church, 7540 Penn Avenue South, for their 2026 Sno*ball Dance taking place January 31, 2026.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
e. Consider approval of the second amendment to the Response Sustainability Grant agreement with the City of Bloomington.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
f. Consider approval of the sixth amendment to the local public health services agreement with the City of Bloomington for 2026.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
g. Consider the renewal of the 2026 licenses for On-Sale Intoxicating, Club, On-Sale 3.2 Percent Malt Liquor and Wine, and Off-Sale 3.2 Percent Malt Liquor doing business in Richfield.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
h. Consider the adoption of a resolution authorizing Richfield Public Safety/Police Department to accept donations from the listed agencies, businesses and private individuals for designated uses.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
i. Consider the adoption of a resolution accepting grants and donations received by the Richfield Recreation Services in 2025 and authorizing staff to administer the funds in accordance with any applicable grant agreements and terms prescribed by donors.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=1 | reports=1
Decision: Consent Calendar
8. Consideration of Items, if Any Removed From Consent Calendar
9. Public Hearings
10. Proposed Ordinances
11. Resolutions
a. Consider resolutions approving the 2025 Revised/2026 Proposed Budgets, Tax Levy and related resolutions.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=9 | reports=1
Decision: Resolutions
b. Labor Agreement with Law Enforcement Labor Services, Inc. Local 123 (Police Officers) and Teamsters Local 320 (Police Sergeants and Police Lieutenants) for 2026-2027.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=2 | reports=1
Decision: Resolutions
c. Consider a request for an Interim Use Permit to allow temporary and occasional employee parking on a vacant lot adjacent to Lakewinds Co-op.
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context | attachments=6 | reports=1
Decision: Resolutions
12. Other Business
13. City Manager’s Report
14. Council Discussion
a. Hats off to Hometown Hits
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context
Decision: Council Discussion
b. Liaison Reports
1A. Executive Summary 1B. Historical Context
Decision: Council Discussion
15. Adjournment